NPCC
Dimapur, April 13 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Monday lashed out at the approach taken by the PDA Government in the State in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statement from the NPCC comes after the first Coronavirus positive case in the State was detected on April 12.
“The reluctance of state government to opt for participatory approach from all political parties is baffling,” it said as it appealed to the State Government to rise up to the occasion and create an all inclusive approach.
In a press release, the NPCC claimed that as the threat of pandemic increases, the incompetence of political leadership in Nagaland is more glaring than ever before.
“Last minute work in sprucing up some hospitals or health centres will not be enough to handle the flow of patients if COVID infection spreads. Nagaland by now should have COVID-19 Testing Lab in place other than being assured that it is in progress. Deficiency of PPEs and other critical medical equipments still continues,” the statement read.
Such actions are demoralizing to those frontline health care workers,” it said.
The NPCC pointed out that the announcement of the positive case came not from the State authorities but from Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, which caught the State Government completely unaware.
Further, the Party laid claims that inspection visits to hospitals; distribution of some medical kits and food items is the only visible work of the PDA Government headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio who has been at the helm for major part of past 17 years. “If only importance was given to social and health sectors, things would have not been as bad as it is now.”
The NPCC also alleged that the ruling party legislators are on a publicity spree while handing over Government procured items like hand sanitizers, mask, gloves and food items to district administration or people.
The NPCC claimed that in the past month alone, “hundreds of crores have been sanctioned by Government of India to fight COVID-19,” and said that besides these funds, enough food grains have been made available to the extent of provisioning 3 months share in advance to ration card holders. It was also announced that major part of State Disaster Management Funding is being used to procure rice for distribution to cover even those without ration cards, it said.
“However, available reports points out huge deficiency in ground delivery which is laced with discrimination and favouritism particularly on political lines,” it alleged.
The NPCC suggested that the State Government to create an all inclusive approach and that all districts and assembly constituencies must be given fair and equal treatment without any political bias. “These are extraordinary times when our own lives are at stake, we cannot simply create own silos and perish like fools. There will be enough time to do politicking if we survive this pandemic,” it said.
Further, it urged the people of Nagaland other than those needed in frontline fight to stay home and be safe.
